Link to Article: “New Zealand to take 450 refugees from Australian detention“
Years after refugees arrived on remote islands and in immigration detention centers in Australia, New Zealand has stated that it will be welcoming 450 asylum seekers and refugees from the locations. In 2013, Australia passed strict measures limiting immigration into the country, sending asylum seekers arriving by boat to processing centers in Papua New Guinea and Nauru. Over 1,000 refugees were then told that they would have little to no hope for a life in Australia.
New Zealand’s plan is to accept 150 refugees every year for 3 years and will have them undergo the same process as other incoming refugees. Other countries have also been taking refugees from the centers. The United States, for example, has taken in a little over 1,000 refugees. Australia has been condemned for its management of the issue. With health and safety conditions worsening in the detentions, some refugees have had to be evacuated. However, Australia stands by its statements that it has imposed these measures to prevent refugees from making dangerous journeys in small boats just to reach Australia.
It is important to take into account the reasoning behind both Australia and New Zealand’s approaches to the situation. Australia is currently sitting at an unemployment rate of around 4.2%, while New Zealand is at 3.2%.
This alone can explain a little bit about New Zealand’s willingness to take some of the refugees in, while Australia has taken a bit of a stern position. As with many other countries, bringing in refugees causes a nation’s citizens to question the domestic conditions of the country. If people are concerned about the availability of resources and jobs for the people who are already there, the government may not want to push forward.
However, it is also important for governments to uphold a standard of care for the refugees and asylum seekers who have tried entering their country. Even if Australia has made it clear that no refugees arriving on the coast will achieve a lasting stay in the country, having a well-developed plan for resettlement elsewhere would limit the challenges currently facing these refugees. Additionally, keeping safe conditions within the detention facilities must be upheld, after several human rights groups have criticized the government’s management of them.
In connection to the class, this story relates back to international law and human rights. The UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) states that “everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.” This principle of non-refoulment in refugee law essentially states that refugees and asylum seekers shouldn’t be sent back to their original countries if they are believed to be threatened by persecution there. Australia voted in favor of this principle and has a responsibility to manage the incoming refugees, whether it means taking them in or relocating them to another country.